U-T Multimedia

San Diego 
Brandyn Dombrowski will, of course, do whatever the Chargers ask. He knows he has more practice squad eligibility remaining. He knows he has a lot to learn.

But ...

“I mean, yeah, it's a tough decision there,” Dombrowski said this week. “You have to do what they tell you to do. But I'm trying to work my hardest to make a roster spot.”

Dombrowski has made the move from guard to left tackle over the past several months, in offseason workouts, training camp practices and the preseason. He played tackle exclusively in the Chargers' most recent exhibition, a full half of work at Atlanta. It appears to be the 6-foot-5, 323-pound San Diego State alum's future.

“He is really a guy that's improved,” head coach Norv Turner said of Dombrowski, who was undrafted in 2008 and spent last year on the Chargers practice squad. “He's worked as hard as anyone in this organization over the last year and a half.”

Dombrowski's fate will be decided by Saturday, after he and a couple of dozen other reserves play the bulk of the Chargers' preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers Friday night at Qualcomm Stadium.

“It's down to the wire,” Turner said. “There are some hard decisions to make. There are some decisions that will be made based on this game.”

Really, barring injury Friday night, there really isn't a lot of intrigue left in regard to most of the Chargers' roster – at least as it pertains to Friday's game.

Defensive end Ryon Bingham appears headed to injured reserve. The acquisition of Travis Johnson to play end likely means Ogemdi Nwagbuo will begin the season on the practice squad. Sixth-round draft pick Kevin Ellison is likely the fifth safety, while undrafted free agent C.J. Spillman will probably be on the practice squad. Fullback Mike Tolbert, with his special teams acumen, has likely earned a spot, and the Chargers will have to regretfully watch tailback Michael Bennett sign elsewhere.

The Chargers are deciding on a fourth cornerback, and Simeon Castille could well end up on the roster, at least for a time. But the team continues to look elsewhere for a corner, a search that might by Saturday include other teams' castoffs.

Perhaps the only questions hovering over Friday night's exhibition reside on the offensive line, where the Chargers' decision makers likely have eight players locked in while trying to decide on the final spot from among three players.

Fourth-round pick Tyronne Green, a guard and center, has shown he deserves a spot, and the cutting of a pick that high is rare, but the decision on whether to keep him on the roster could come down to needing depth at tackle.

Corey Clark, who has bounced between guard and tackle, is looking for a second year on the roster.

“It's in your mind all the time,” Clark said of the fact he occupies a spot on the proverbial bubble. “I know my position. Until I'm a starter somewhere, my position on a roster is never secure. It keeps you working hard.”

While tackle L.J. Shelton struggled in the exhibition opener and has missed the past two weeks with a knee injury, his experience likely keeps him on the roster over the young players.

But strange things sometimes happen in the final exhibition.

Dombrowski is hoping and working in case such an event occurs.

“We're trying to give him an opportunity,” Turner said. “He's played well. He's physical; he's very good. He's trying to catch up. He hasn't played a lot at that position. He's going to get to play a lot of snaps (Friday).”